Re: Perceptual symbol systems

From: Alex Green (dralexgreen_at_yahoo.co.uk)
Date: 08/11/04 

Date: 11 Aug 2004 04:59:58 -0700

Traveler <traveler@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<aodih01eokk72albi9cfh1c5v70e778vb6@4ax.com>...
> In article <4118d6a5$1_4@news.athenanews.com>, "Sergio Navega"
> <snavega@intelliwise.com> wrote:
>
> >"Traveler" <traveler@nospam.com> escreveu na mensagem
> [cut]
> I do. But I guess this is because I keep seeing the problem from the
> point of view of the intelligence itself, and not from that of the
> observer, which is irrelevant to the intelligence.

This is an excellent point. The link between AI and conscious
observation is a prejudice that results from a belief in strong AI.
(See:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~lka/strongai.htm )

It is quite possible that conscious observation is advantageous in an
AI system but conscious observation is not due to AI.

I have never seen a theory of strong AI that derives the
characteristics of conscious observation from the properties of an
information system. Information systems deliver content, they do not
possess the phenomenon of conscious observation. It is customary for
proponents of strong AI to dismiss human conscious experience as an
'illusion' yet still to lay claim to possessing an explanation for all
conscious experience. Technologists who are excessively proud of their
creations often believe them to be capable of 'mind', the master
potters of Ancient Greece also thought their statues just needed a
breath of 'emergentism' to make them alive.

Best Wishes

Alex Green